Automatic ice maker



Oct. 11, 1960 H. J. LOEWENTHAL 2,955,442

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER Filed May 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ INVENTOR.

HENRY a. LOEWENTHAL HIS ATTORNEY Oct. 11, 1960 H. J. LOEWENTHAL2,955,442

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 1959 INVENTOR. HENRYI LOEWENTHAL Hi5 ATTORNEY Oct. 11, 1960 H. J. LOEWENTHAL 2,955,442

AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER Filed May 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 INVENTOR.

HENRY I LOEWENTHAL H [5 ATTORNEY Oct. 11, 1960 Filed May 18, 1959 H- J.LOEWENTHAL AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 90 Fl 6. IO

78 5o L J 87 O l l I M )6 W68 1N VENTOR.

HENRY .T. LOEWENTHAL H IS ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,955,442AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER Filed May 18, 1959, Ser. No. 813,789 Claims. (Cl.62-351) The present invention relates to an automatic ice maker and ismore particularly concerned with an improved ice maker adapted to beincorporated in a domestic or household refrigerator.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved domestic or household ice maker in which ice pieces releasedfrom a mold by the application of heat are thereafter automaticallytransferred out of the mold and discharged into a receptacle by pivotingelements mounted on the mold and having portions frozen into the icepieces.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentas the following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming part of this specificatiom In accordancewith the present invention there is provided an ice maker comprising anice mold having fixed partitions dividing the mold into a plurality ofadjacent compartments in which water is frozen into ice pieces andheating means for warming the mold to loosen the ice pieces from themold. The released ice pieces are automatically removed from the mold byfingers having end portions frozen into the individual ice pieces. Thesefingers are mounted for pivotal movement out of the mold and over oneside thereof to a position in which engagement of the ice pieces withsuitable bumpers removes the ice pieces from the fingers so that thepieces can fall into a storage receptacle.

These and additional features of the present invention will now be morefully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: J.a Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section of an embodimentof the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the embodiment of the ice shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a portion of the ice maker taken alongline 33' of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section along line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the mechanism shown in Figs. 3and 4 taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the ice mold component takenalong line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is another sectional view of the ice mold taken along line 77 ofFig. 2; v

Fig. 8 is an operational view of the mechanism particularly shown inFigs. 3-5;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 7 showing one stage in theprocess of harvesting the ice pieces;

maker Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram for an electrical control system whichcan be employed for the automatic operation of the ice maker of thepresent invention; and

Fig. 11 is a partial view in section illustrating a modification of thepresent invention.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing, theillustrated-embodiment of the ice maker of the present invention isdesigned to be suspended from the top wall 1 of the low'temperature orfreezing compartment 2 of a household refrigerator. The contents of thecompartment 2 including the ice maker are maintained at below 2,955,442Patented Oct. 11, 1960 freezing temperatures by air blown over a lowtemperature evaporator (not shown) so that the ice maker can be mountedin the compartment independently of any evaporator'unit. Als'opositioned within the compartment and below the ice maker is areceptacle or bin 3 in which ice pieces 4 discharged from the ice makerare maintained at below freezing temperatures.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 5-8 inclusive, the ice mold '5 in theform of an elongated or generally rectangular mold includes end walls 6and 7 and side walls 8 and 9 forming a substantially rectangular molddivided into a plurality of compartments 11 by fixed dividers orpartitions 10 extending transversely of the mold cavity. The mold properincluding the end walls 6 and 7, the side walls 8 and 9 and the bottomwall 14 as well as the fixed dividers or partitions 10 comprises aunitary structure in the form of a metal die casting, such as analuminum die casting; the casting also including a plurality of fins 15for better heat transfer between the cooled air circulated within thecompartment 2 and the mold body. To provide for the flow of water fromone compartment to another during filling of the mold cavity, each ofthe fixed dividers 10 includes a slot 23 adjacent the side wall 9.

For the purpose of warming the mold to release ice pieces formed in thecompartments 11 from the mold walls, there is provided an electricheating element 16 extending along each side of the bottom thereof belowthe sidewalls 8 and 9. When this heating element is energized the mold,that is the bottom wall 14, the end walls 6 and 7 and the side walls 8and 9 as well as the fixed partitions 10 becomes sufliciently warm tomelt the bond between the mold surfaces and the ice pieces.

In accordance with'the' present invention, means for removing thereleased ice pieces are provided in the form of fingers 17 which haveone of their ends fixed to a shaft 18 rotatably supported above thevertical mold side wall 8. The other or free ends 19 of the fingers 17extend perpendicularly into the compartments 11 to a point below theWater level in the mold so that these endportions 19 will be frozen intothe ice pieces 4 as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawing. In order thatthe released ice pieces can pivot about the axis of the shaft 18 from aposition within the mold as'illustrated in Fig. 7 to a dischargeposition along one side of the mold as illustrated in Fig.

9, the mold side wall 9 opposite the shaft 18 slopes out-- ice pieces 4can be pivoted upwardly and outwardly from the mold by rotation of theshaft 18 to a point in which the ice pieces come into contact with aplurality of spaced bumpers 24 suitably supported along the side wall 8of the mold. As will be seen in Fig. l of the drawing these bumperswhich are opposite the dividers or partitions 10 are spaced apart adistance sufficient to accommodate the fingers 17 but are Wide enough tooverlap adjacent corn partments 11 on each side of the partitions sothat their surfaces are in the paths of the adjacent ice pieces 4 asthey are removed from the mold by pivotal movement of the fingers. Whenthe ice pieces in an inverted position contact the bumpers 24, movementof the ice pieces is stopped and the continued movement of the fingerscauses the ice pieces to pull away from the fingers and drop into thebin or receptacle 3 provided below the mold.

Preferably, the ice contacting surfaces 25 of the bumpers 24 are of acurved configuration. As illustrated, for example, in Fig. 9, each ofthe surfaces 25 is in the form of an arc of gradually increasing radiusfrom the point adjacent the shaft 18 to the outer end or tip of thebumpers. By this gradually increasing radius removal of ice pieces ofany thickness is assured. Furthermore, the curved shape of the surfaces25 is such that contact of those surfaces by the ice pieces Will takeplace at points between the fingers 17 and the shaft 18 as shown in Fig.9 so that the releasing pressure is applied rearwardly of the fingers 17thereby causing the ice pieces to be discharged forwardly and over theforward edge of the bumpers 30 as they slide off of the fingers.

While suflicient pressure can be applied to the ice pieces 4 as theycontactthe bumpers 24 to break the pieces loose from the fingers 17, inaccordance with a modification of the present invention heat is appliedto the fingers during their rotation to the inverted position in orderto melt the bond between the fingers and ice pieces. As illustrated inFig. 11, this may be accomplished by employing a hollow shaft 28 forsupporting the fingers 17 so that an electric heater 29 placed withinthe shaft can be energized during the ice harvesting cycle for a timesutficient to warm the fingers 17 to a temperature above freezing. Thisheater, if desired, can also be extending into the fingers 17, whichwould then be of a hollow or tubular form. However, it has been foundthat sufficient warming of the finger end portions 19 can be obtained byconduction if the fingers are composed of a material, preferably ametal, of high heat conductivity.

The invention claimed in this application relates broadly to an icemaker comprising the above-described ice harvesting arrangement whereinpivoting elements to which the ice pieces adhere are employed totransfer the heatreleased ice pieces fromv the mold into engagement withbumper means for separating the pieces from the elements. In addition tomeans for rotating shaft 18 and energizing the heater 16, automaticoperation of the ice maker requires additional components and controlssuch as those which will now, be described. These components andcontrols apart from the combination with the ice harvesting arrangementclaimed herein are not part of the present invention but are morecompletely disclosed and claimed in the copending application of HaroldP. Harle, Stephen Balogh and Henry J. Loewenthal, Serial Number 813,790,filed concurrently herewith and assigned to the same assignee as thepresent invention.

'The illustrated control and drive mechanism for controlling theoperation of the ice maker and rotating the shaft 18 is housed in ahousing 35 secured to one end of the mold 5. The power mechanismincludes a motor 36 diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 12 of thedrawing, the motor and a suitable speed reducing gear train forming adrive mechanism generally indicated in broken lines by the numeral 37 inFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The shaft 18 is rotatably mounted inbearings adjacent the mold end wall 7 and in the front wall 40 of thehousing 35. A pawl and cam assembly 42 illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 8of the drawing as being connected to an end of the shaft 18 extendinginto the housing 35 and an arm 44 connected to the drive shaft 45forming part of the drive mechanism 37 provides means for rotating theshaft 18 upon operation of the motor 36. The pawl 47 forming part of thepawl and cam assembly 42 is pivotally supported on that assembly asillustrated in Figs. 3 and 8 of the drawing in such a position that uponrotation of the cam assembly 42 through a predetermined number ofdegrees, disengagement of the pawl from the arm allows the motor tocontinue rotating in the samedirection while a return spring 50 which isarranged to bias the fingers 17 into the mold causes theshaft torotatein the opposite direction and return. the fingersto thernold.

Additional elements, employed for a completelyvautof matic operation ofthe ice maker through successive freezing and ice harvesting cyclesincludes means for introducing a charge of Water into the mold, meansfor energizing the motor in order to initiate the ice harvesting cycleand means for stopping the ice making operation whenever the receptacle3 is full or out of position.

The water supply means includes a filler tube 55 to which water issupplied through a conduit including a solenoid valve 56 connected to asuitable source of water supply. When the solenoid valve 56 is energizedto open the'yaIVe, water supplied to the mold from the outlet end of thesupply tube 55 discharges into a filler spout 57 having its lower. ordischarge end 58 disposed adjacent the end wall 6 of the mold. The waterthus introduced into the mold flows from compartment to compartmentthrough the slots or grooves 23.

In order to initiate an ice harvesting cycle when the water charge inthe mold has frozen into ice, there is employed a control circuitincluding a bellows-operated switch 60 which is shown in the wiringdiagram of Fig. 12 and which is mounted within the housing 35. Thesensing bulb component ofthis switch which is in the form of a capillarytube 61 extends outwardly through the wall 40 and downwardly along thatwall into a control compartment 62 provided at one end of the ice mold.As is shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 6 of the drawing, thiscontrol compartment is defined by walls including the housing wall 40and the mold end wall 6 and is of a relatively small volume as comparedwith the ice making compartments 11. In addition, the bottom wall 64 ofthe control compartment 72 is elevated above the bottom wall 14 of themold and one or more holes 65 are provided in the end wall 6 for theflow of water between the control compartment 62 and the adjacent icemaking compartment 11. A small slab or piece of ice is formed in acontrol compartment 62 during each ice making operation and the controlis regulated to respond to the temperature of the ice in the controlcompartment in order to initiate the ejection cycle by energizing themotor 36. In order to prevent the accumulation of stagnate water in thecontrol compartment 62, the outlet end 58 of the filler. spout partiallyoverlaps this control com,- partment so that each time water isintroduced into, the mold a portion of that water will flow into andflush the control compartment while each time heat isv applied to themold, the small ice piece formed in the control com.- partrnent willmelt and the resultant water flow from the control compartment throughthe holes 65 into the mold proper.

In order to. assure complete freezing of all of the water in the moldbefore energization of the motor 36, the sensing bulb 61 is preferablywarmed slightly by means of the heater 68 which is illustrated in thecontrol circuit of; Fig. 12 and which is arranged in heating contactwith the sensing bulb 61 as well as the bellows component of. the switch60. The purpose of this heater is twofold. First, it biases the sensingbulb to a temperature. a few degrees above moldtemperature to assurethat all of the water in the larger compartments 11 will be frozenbefore energization of the motor. In addition, this heater maintains thecontrol bulb at temperatures above the freezing temperatures existing inthe freezer compartment 2. i V

Means for stopping operation of the ice maker to prevent discharge ofice from the mold when the receptacle 3 is removed from beneath the moldis provided in the form of, a switch 70 which when open breaks the icemaker control circuit to completely de-energize all of the componentsthereof. As the ice maker receptacle is supported on a shelf 71 formingpart of a drawer structure 72, slidab ly supported within thecompartment 2, the switchjtl is. arranged along, the front of thecabinet adjacent the access opening to the compartment 2 so that when.the drawer. is in its closedposition theswitch isclosed bntwhen the.drawer is moved to an open posiv tion thereby carrying with it thereceptacle 3, the switch 70 is opened.

' To stop the ice making operation when the receptacle 3 is filled withice, there is provided a switch 78 actuated by a feeler arm 74 pivotallymounted along the side 9 of the ice mold. Normally, this arm 74 hangsdownwardly into the receptacle 3 in a position in which it will Contactthe ice which is accumulated When the receptacle 3 is approximately fullof ice. In order that the arm will measure the stored ice after eachadditional charge of ice is deliveerd to the receptacle, means areprovided for raising the feeler arm out of the receptacle during eachice making cycle so that when it returns to its normal position withinthe'receptacle, it will rest on top of the added amount of ice if thatice hassubstantially filled the receptacle 3. For this raising action,the feeler arm includes within the housing 35 an extension or actuatingarm 75 which rides on the cam surface of the cam assembly42. This camsurface is arranged so that when the shaft 18 is in such a position thatthe fingers 17 are Within the mold, the feeler arm 74 depends into thereceptacle 3. Upon rotation of the shaft, contact of the cam surfacewith the actuating arm 75 causes this arm to move outwardly from thevicinity of the shaft 18 and to raise the feeler arm 74 out of thereceptacle. At the same time the normally closed switch 78 is opened. Aswill be more fully described hereinafter, this switch 78 is connected inthe control circuit in such a manner that if the feeler arm is preventedfrom returning to its normal position, the ice making cycle isinterrupted. Continued rotation of the shaft 18 completely raises thefeeler arm 74 to a position immediately beneath the mold 5 and out ofthe receptacle 3. When the pawl 47 disengages the drive arm 44, theaction of the spring 50 causes the fingers 17 to return to the mold andat the same time reverses the direction of rotation of the cam elementso that the feeler arm 74 can again return to its normal position in thereceptacle and the actuating arm 75 can again engage and close theswitch 78. If for any reason the fingers 17 are prevented from returningto the mold, the cam element 42 will also prevent movement of the arm 75to a position in which the switch 78 is closed.

Additional switch means and control circuitry for the automaticoperation of the ice maker will be described during the followingconsideration of the ice maker operation. During freezing of a batch ofice in the mold 5, the temperature sensed by the sensing bulb 61gradually decreases. Eventually a slab of ice is formed in the controlcompartment 62 but since the control heater 68 is designed to maintainthe control bulb 61 at a temperature which lags the actual temperaturewithin the control compartment 62 by a few degrees, the switch 60 willnot operate until the biased control bulb senses a temperaturesufliceintly below freezing to assure complete freezing of all of thewater in ments. At this point, the switch arm 87, forming part of theswitch 60 controlled by the thermostat including the sensing bulb 61,moves into contact with the contact 88. With the drawer switch 70 closedand the feeler arm in its normal position so that switch 78 is closed, acircuit is completed between the supply conductors 90 and 91 to energizethe motor 36 through the normally closed switch 92 constituting one ofthe switches operated by cam 93 and also to energize mold heater. 16. Afew degrees of motor rotation is permitted before the arm the moldcompart- 44 carried on the drive shaft 45 engages the pawl 47 which isconnected to the shaft 18. During this initial rotation, the switch cam93 which is also driven by the shaft 45 closes a holding switch 94 toestablish a holding circuit through the heater and a holding circuit forenergizing the motor 36 which includes cam operated switch 92. Bothcircuits bypass the feeler arm switch 78 and contact 88 of the controlswitch 60.

After closing,

the operation of the feeler arm or the control switch 70 switch 94remains closed regardless ofuntil the end of the complete harvestingcycle or in other words through one complete revolution of the shaft 45.

Since the fingers 17 are frozen solidly into the ice in the mold, thedrive motor stalls until suflicient heat is applied by the heater 16 tothe mold to melt the bond between the ice pieces and the mold end, sideand bottom walls and the surfaces of the partitions 10. At this point,the motor again rotates, lifting the fingers 17 and attached ice piecesupwardly and outwardly over the side 8 of the mold to a point where theice pieces engage the bumpers 24. Continued rotation of the shaft 18causes the ice pieces to break free from the fingers and drop into thestorage container 3. a

After the fingers have moved to a point between the bumpers 24 whichassures complete release of the ice pieces carried thereby regardless ofsize or thickness, the pawl 47 carried by the pawl and cam assembly ispositioned to strike thestop 48 and disengage the motor drive arm 44.This allows the motor to continue its rotation in the same directionwhile the return spring 50, biasing the fingers to their normal positionwithin the mold, returns them to that position thus conditioning themold for the subsequent manufacture and removal of another batch of icepieces.

During the harvesting operation, the ice in the control compartmentincreases in temperature and begins to melt causing the temperature ofthe sensing bulb to increase due to the added heat from the warmed mold.Water formed by melting ice flows out of the control compartment 62through the holes 65 into the mold. At a temperature of, for example,twenty-five degrees and even though ice remains in the controlcompartment, the switch arm 87 forming part moves to the right intocontact with a warm contact 96. When this occurs, :a second holdingcircuit for energizing only the motor is completed through the closedholding switch 94 and the warm contact 96 of switch 60. Unless thiscircuit through the contact 96 is established by switch 60 before theswitch cam 93 opens switch 92 to break the first holding circuit to themotor, further rotation of the motor is prevented until the switch arm87 does make contact with contact 96.

Further rotation of the switch cam 93 then closes the switch contacts 97to energize the solenoid valve 56 so that a measured charge of waterwill be introduced into the mold through the filler spout 57.Thereafter, during the final few degrees of rotation of the switch cam93, the switches 92, 94 and 97 are returned to their normal or startingpositions and reset for a subsequent ice harvesting cycle, the openingof switch 94 de-energizing the mold heater and breaking the secondholding circuit including switch contact 96 to de-energize the motor 36.

Unless the receptacle 3 is filled with ice, the feeler arm 74 will alsoreturn to its normal position within the receptacle thereby closing thefeeler arm switch 78 so that when switch arm 87 subsequently moves intoengagement with contact 88 another harvesting cycleis initiated. If onthe other hand, the ice receptacle is full of ice, the feeler arm willbe held in a raised position by the ice pieces, the switch 78 will bemaintained in an open position and the motor 36 cannot be energized.

In accordance with the present invention, when heat is applied to thefingers 17 to aid in the release of ice pieces therefrom, means areprovided for energizing the finger heater 28 only after the fingers havemoved through about 90 degrees to a position in which the ends 19 are atleast horizontal. For this purpose a second switch cam 100 is arrangedto close a switch 101 at such time thus connecting the heater 28 acrosslines 91 and 92. The

cam is also arranged to break this circuit at any time after the icepieces have been lifted from the rotating fingers by the bumpers 24.

While there has been shown and described particular embodiments of thepresent invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatvarious changes and modiof the control switch-'60- fications may be madetherein without departing from the invention, and it is intended by theappended claims to cover all such changes and modifications which fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An ice maker comprising an ice mold, partition means dividing saidmold into adjacent compartments in which water is to be frozen into icepieces, means for heating said mold to break the bond between thesurfaces of the mold and ice pieces formed therein, means pivotallymounted on said ice maker and extending into said compartments andfrozen into engagement with said ice pieces for transferring the icepieces out of said mold and over one side of said mold about an axisadjacent one side edge of said mold and bumpers positioned along saidside of said mold for engaging said ice pieces and separating saidpieces from said transferring means.

2. An ice maker comprising an elongated mold ineluding a plurality oftransverse dividers integral with said mold dividing said mold into aplurality of compartments in which water is frozen into ice pieces,heating means for warming said mold and said transverse dividers to freethe ice pieces therefrom, fingers extending into each of saidcompartments, said fingers being mounted for pivotal movement thereofalong with the ice pieces adhering thereto about an axis adjacent oneside edge of said mold and upwardly and outwardly over one side of saidmold to an inverted position along said side of said mold, bumpershaving generally curved surfaces arranged along said side of said moldto engage said ice pieces during movement thereof to said invertedposition and to free said pieces from said fingers, each of said curvedsurfaces being shaped to contact an ice piece at a point between thefinger supporting said ice piece and the side of the ice piece adjacentsaid axis regardless of the thickness of said piece.

3. An ice maker as set forth in claim 2 including heating means forwarming said fingers after said ice pieces have been removed from saidmold to aid in the freezing of said pieces by said bumpers.

4. An ice maker comprising a metal ice mold, means including transversedividers dividing said mold into a plurality of compartments in whichwater is frozen into ice pieces, a finger including an endportion'extending vertically into each compartment and into said waterwhereby each of said fingers is frozen into engagement with an icepiece, means for applying heat to the bottom wall of said mold forfreeing the ice pieces from the mold surfaces, a shaft extending alongthe upper edge of one side wall of said mold, means connecting saidfingers with said shaft whereby rotation of said shaft causes saidfingers and attached ice pieces to pivot from within said mold to aninverted position along one side of the mold, and a plurality of spacedfixed bumpers arranged along said side wall of said mold to be engagedby said ice pieces during movement of said fingers to their invertedpositions between said bumpers and to separate said ice pieces therefromfor discharge into a receptacle beneath said bumpers.

5. An ice maker as set forth in claim 4 including means operable whensaid end portions reach a horizontal position to warm said end portionsto aid in the separation of the ice pieces therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,510,147 Keith Sept. 30, 1924 1,881,965 Peterson Oct. 11, 19322,049,902 Fischer Aug. 4, 1936 2,109,822 Eddy Mar. 1, 1938 2,114,642West Apr. 19, 1938 2,161,321 Smith June 6, 1939 2,204,474 Cowling June11, 1940 2,438,466 Tobey Mar. 23, 1948 2,757,519 Sampson Aug. 7, 19562,833,123 Kennedy May 6, 1958

